Not quite Italian
by Turquisea
Summary: After a tragic accident that leaves a cousin of his, broken-hearted. Louis has no choice but to stay with him for a few days, who to leave in charge of France? Immediately, Louis knows who, the only person he would trust with an entire kingdom just happened to be Corinne. But, /she/ is also leaving to visit a cousin of hers, and /no one/ is willing to believe that she's Italian
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**When in Rome, Viva La France!**

Louis frowned as he scanned the letter. There was an accident of sorts where a relative of his and the relatives wife had passed away. And the sender- who was the ambassador- had asked if he would be so kind to stay and watch him for a few days. The ambassador had worried that ever since the ambush accident, someone would go after the deceased one's child. And Louis was the only person he had trusted.

So he had agreed to stay for a few days. He picked up a quill, some paper, and immediately began to write the replying letter.

_Dear ambassador William,_  
><em>I am truly honored that you have chosen me to watch over the young Prince Jacob, and I thank you for imforming me of their death. Grieve I may, I still care for them. If I may be so blunt to say, when shall I arrive at Rome? Surely anytime would be fine with me.<em>

"Hi," Corinne called as she walked up to him, she read what he was writing over his shoulder. "What's up?"

"Ceiling, sky, space, universe." He answered bluntly. Still writing the letter.

_I have also heard that the Prince had an older brother, age nineteen. And in the system of laws around the counties of the world, I believe only a legal adult would be eighteen a youngest, and you would prefer someone older and more responsible?_

Corinne huffed. "You know when an idiom is taken literally?"

"Do tell."

"When it's an idiot you're using it in front of."

He grinned slightly. "Aww, I'll take that as a compliment." He said, obviously to get on her nerves. Truth be told, he only wanted to get on her nerves because he found her temper the most adorable thing since a bunny rabbit doing puppy dog eyes.

_I shall try to reply as soon as I get your response on the whole fiasco. And on my behalf, I hope that you could tell Jacob that he is a brave young man, and tell him not to lose faith after his parents' death, no matter how hard it may seem._

_Sincerely,_  
><em>King Louis.<em>

* * *

><p>"Where in Paris is Corinne?!" Renée asked, sketching some adjustments to the girls' weapons.<p>

Viveca pinned some fabrics together on her sewing table. "Either she's showing off to the Big Boys or she's on another date with the king." She threaded a needle and began stitching the fabrics together. "But seriously, when's she gonna come back? She's been gone the whole day!"

Aramina entered, carrying a pile of mail. "Fan mail, here!" She cried, dropping the stack onto a table with a *THUMP!* then she groaned and stretched her back. "Oi! My back!"

Viveca couldn't quite hide her chuckle as she read one of the letters, which reeked of too much expensive rose perfume. "Not fan mail, marriage proposal mail."

"What!?" Renée exclaimed, laughing. "Well...who is it for?"

The fashionista gaped, then gasped. "No way!...oh wait, oooh, aahhhh. Mhmmm, marvelous!" She exclaimed, reading the letter with pure amusement and delight.

"Just answer me."

"Who would want to write a marriage proposal to the person the King has taken a particular fancy to?"

Aramina gasped. "Just hope he doesn't see it." She said, with a spoonful of melodramaticness. "Just think!" She started, the back of her hand pressed to her forehead as if to swoon. "A duel for her hand!" Then, she pretended to faint on the little couch at the foot of her bed. "A king and a..." Then she sat up, completely serious. "Uhhhh...who sent that letter again?"

Then the three burst into a fit of laughs.

Viveca pouted, finding no name whatsoever, then grinned, jumping up and down. "IT'S A SECRET ADMIRER!" She cried, bouncing on her heels.

Aramina started to giggle. "Maybe it could just be from you know who," She nodded her head towards the direction of the Castle. "Aww that's so romantic!" She giggled until her cheeks hurt.

* * *

><p>Treville sent the young King a curious look but didn't say anything. Knowing better than to do so. He listened carefully as the young man spoke, his eyes held pure remorse, having suddenly lost a close- not as close as he thought or found Philippe during the days he had trusted him- family member. The young man's eyes were trapped in a misty haze, and were troubled.<p>

Finally, when the King had finished explaining his predicament of what to do, Treville spoke, "Umm, your Majesty," He let out a sigh. "I think that it would be best if you stayed with young Prince Jacob, having suddenly lost the closest people to him. And being very young -recently turned seven- it would pain him a lot and cause him way more grief than one of his age should have," He took his Musketeer hat in his hands and stared at the floor. "You, sire, would know better than anyone." He finished.

The older man's last sentence brought back the painful memories of the king's childhood. The man knew that Treville didn't mean it, but the many agonizing years of the loss and trying to open up a brotherly relation with his cousin, the person whom he thought he could trust, was just a reminder that he could never see his parents again. And with Jacob being younger and the type not to open up easily, it would take quite a while to get his spirits up again.

"But then again..." Treville muttered, though unfortunately, Louis had heard him.

The King raised an eyebrow, genuinely interested in what the middle-aged man was going to say. "But then again, what?" He asked.

"But then again...who would stay here to take care of the Kingdom if you left?"

Silence.

An immediate thought crossed the king's mind. Corinne. That was a brilliant thought, he mentally patted himself on the back. She was the perfect choice! Then, that pat, turned into a not-so-gentle slap. What was he thinking!? She doesn't even know how to take care of the place! One side of him argued. Then, he wondered, what was she doing as a daily routine? Taking care of the kingdom! And he mentally slapped himself again. And.. It was way different from what he did, caged in the Castle all day. But, a lightbulb turned on in his mind, she wouldn't know if she didn't learn! He suddenly snapped his fingers and stood up, "I got it!" He exclaimed.

Treville just blinked, completely oblivious to what plan the King held. "Uhhh..got what, Your Majestly?" Maybe he was going to ask a trusted relative to watch over? Nope, that thought was crossed off. He knew the King long enough to know that it was not something he would do, especially after Philippe's recent betrayal. Which brought up the same question, if it wasn't a trusted relative, who would the King trust with the position?

But the younger of the two didn't answer, he just took off running, leaving the old man dumbfounded, or, feeling as clueless as a donkey.

* * *

><p>Corinne read with amusement, a letter from a close family member -cousin- had mentioned some of their private jokes, and the other girl's father- who is also Corinne's uncle- becoming over excited with 'Little wild flower' becoming the first female Musketeer in history. There was also a mention that he often boasts about it in his restaurant- but with good intentions- and then, there was a part which rose her suspicions, it just oh so happened to be a 'coincidence' that her uncle had mixed up what she did.<p>

She was about to hide it back in her drawer before Aramina found it -for various reasons, but mainly the mix up- and she did. Then she glanced at the cloak on the wall, a few hours until town patrol.

She decided on going for a walk. She had only took two steps on the grassy ground before she heard someone behind her call. "Corinne!" Louis.

"Huh-?" She asked, turning to face him. But he didn't stop running, he grabbed her wrist and took off again, causing the slightly younger to loose her balance. And it was only a 'reaction' that led her to grip _his _wrist with both of hers. Keyword 'reaction'. "What in the world?! Louis! What in the world are you doing!?" She demanded, still trying to get ahold of her footing. "If it's saving your life over the fact that you stole cookies from Helene, think again, buddy!"

Louis shook his head, still grinning like a fool. "Nope, not that!"

"Then what!?"

"You'll see!"

* * *

><p>"Ta-da!" He exclaimed, waving his arms for emphasis.<p>

Corinne just stared blankly at the desk which was messily arranged. Papers, documents, quils and all sorts of Mumbo-Jumbo were pilled up there. She glanced back up at Louis, deadpanning. "If you think for one moment that _I _ am going to organize that Mumbo-Jumbo, you can think again."

"Nope." He shook his head. Taking one of the really long letters, and holding it up to her face. Quickly hiding a sketch of his under another heap of papers. Not wanting her to find it because it was a sketch of well...her.

The girl just stared at the paper. "Why am I supposed to be reading this instead of you?" She asked, pushing it away from her face. She gave him a I-know-there's-something-behind-this look.

"Uhhhhhh.." He started, feeling his face beginning to heat up. "It's good to learn?" He offered, shrugging and giving her a sheepish smile.

Corinne crossed her arms, the look on her face told him that she didn't buy a single thing he said. "Uh-huh, and _why _am I supposed to be learning this, again?" She asked. She wanted to know _exactly _why she was doing this, and she would pester him until she had her answers.

The older man tensed slightly, and was beginning to panick slightly. "Oh you know, " He started casually. "In case someone captures me and hides me in an old shed and sends a ransom note?" He said, glancing around, very nervously.

"I don't believe you." She didn't believe a single word he said.

* * *

><p><strong>Ahhhh, I loved writing that ending xD<strong>

** . .**


	2. Friend Zoned

**HAHAHAHAAA! Long time no update…I know *sigh***

**1100 short words...not motivated enough.**

**As the three of you may have guessed, she's leaving to the same place after he leaves to the same place. Confusing. I know.**

**Well, anyway, here's**

**The **

**Rest**

**Of**

**The**

**Chapter**

**!**

* * *

><p><strong>"Who's in charge?<strong>

**Where's he going?" **

_**"Why me?"**_

"I doubt it. You're a terrible lair, it's too easy to know when you're lying. So, tell. Me. The. Truth! Right now, 'cause I'm putting my foot down on this one!" She was serious about the whole thing… and he was dead meat if he told her the answer and didn't. Either way, it was either say and die or don't say and die, that left the king with only pretty much very little options.

"Uhhh…look," Louis started as he tried to explain, but was already expecting the not-so-gentle slap coming in at him. "There's this issue that's really tough right now: A cousin of mine who only very recently turned seven, well… his parents were part of a …an accident, and the ambassador asked me if I could watch over him for only a few days. He's really worried that whoever killed his parents might be after him-"

"So you'll be gone for a few days." Corinne finished for him, she was tapping her foot on the floor impatiently, her arms still crossed. "And this still doesn't explain why I'm here. Mind telling me how I did into this scenario?" Before he could reply she added, "And I know that you're not asking me and the girls to come because that's what you usually do. And making me do _your_ chores for you isn't normal." She gave him her most freezing glare- that she could muster, because she couldn't be mad long enough at him. "So tell me how I fit into this puzzle."

She had a point. A really solid, sharp sword end point.

He took a deep breath and blurted everything out in a rush, " I'm going to be gone for a few days and Treville said someone was going to have to be put in charge and that's what I am pretty much cowardly asking you to do!" He braced himself for the slap, or the punch, or a lecture. But none of that came. He creaked one eye open and re!axed when he saw the blond was completely frozen, her eyes wide and slack-jawed, her arms limping at her sides, and she was still for what seemed like eternity when before she found her voice again.

"Say WHAT?!" He didn't know if she was either embarrassed or flushed with aggravation, but decided not to dwell on the thought.

Corinne already knew how awkward it was going to be if she was left in charge; Aramina would nsver stop teasing her, even in her sleep. She would have to give up Musketeering for a few days which would confuse both Treville and the entire Musketeer force. She resjsted the urge to groan. And she would have to listen to the advisors...whom she had tried to avoid for the three years in which she'd known them.

Both could feel the thickening awkward atmosphere.

And there was a loong, uneasy silence.

It was only five minutes- even though it felt like hours- when Louis spoke up, "So..? I understand perfectly if you choose not to, considering that you're a musketeer and such. It's your choice and I would be perfecrly fine with any answer."

Corinne raised an eyebrow. Since when did he get so formal? "I..." What was she supposed to choose? Yes? No? She felt like her mind was going to explode before she even gave an answer. But she decided to ask some questions before she let out an answer. "Why me?"

Louis shifted around awkwardly, almost as if embarrassed to say it, noticing how fast his face was turning crimson- bur she shook the thought off as impossible- . "Because, if you can't trust the girl who saved hour life more times than the days in an hear and knows you more then you know yourself, who can you trust with your Kingdom?" The slightest smike twinged at the corner of his lips.

Corinne ducked her head between her shoulders to hide her dark pink face, since when did the science-based-King she knew turn into such a cheesy person? She thought to herself. She nodded, still staring at her shoes. "I'll do it."

The older man sighed with relief, grasping her hands- not exactly knowing it when he did. Corinne glanced dkwn at their hands and looked back up at him when he started speaking. "Thank you sit much, you have no idea how much you've actually done for me right now."

She smiled and shrugged slightly, "It's what friends do, right?"

"Right."

But before she could reply, Monsieur Treville's loud voice boomed. "MUSKETEERS!"

* * *

><p>She left for training.<p>

Louis didn't know what weighed on his heart when she had said "friends" but he knew that it was of depression. But depression of what? He thought for a few moments, at last coming to the conclusionof which he thought that they were best friends. He shook his head, no, that was her and her friends...if so, why had he felt that they had a closer bond? His eyes widened as it suddenly hit him like a concrete block. He...of all people in France, had fallen for her. "No...I can't.."

He watched the Musketeers train- but mainly how expertly Corinne un-armed the men, leaving them embarrassed, if anything. _She'd take care perfectly, I just know it. _Another part of his mind stepped In to the conversation leisurely. _And a wonderful ruler- by. Your. Side._

Louis blinked a couple of times, what on earth was he thinking? He knew that he was in love, but he knew all too well that it would never happen. Fate would deem it impossible. She was a Musketeer, and a heroine. **His **heroine. And even if sge did return the feeling, he knew that her being Queen would be refused by many. And by many, he meant his advisors.

"Why have I fallen for you? Why am I even King?" He mused to himself.

* * *

><p>"Corinne? Are you...blushing?" Aramina asked slyly as she came walking up to them.<p>

"What? No!"


End file.
